26/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a press release, the CDU MEP Lutz Goepel has welcomed the proposals of European Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel aiming to simplify the common agricultural policy, particularly the common market organisations (see EUROPE 9052). However, the MEP warns: these proposals must not be used as a pretext to call the reform of the CAP, which has already been decided upon, into question. Mr Goepel, who points out that with respective production levels of 4.7 and 4 million tonnes a year, France and Germany would be the hardest hit by a future reform of the sugar sector, nonetheless feels that it would be counter-productive to continue the row between France and Commissioner Mandelson on the agricultural plank of negotiations at the WTO. We must not weaken our negotiating position, but we cannot allow the Doha Round to fail, Mr Goepel warned.